Car-coupling



(N0 Mx del.) Y I G. PALMER.

GAR COUPLING; N0."534,660 Patented Feb; 26, 1895'.

awe/mm v I' I j THE "cams PEICEES ca, PHoTmJYNQ. WASHINGTON NETED STATESCHARLES PALMER, on BURBANK, NEBRASKA.

CAR-COU PLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,660, dated February26, 1 895.

A Application filed April 11, 1894- Serial No. 507,140. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES PALMER, a

I citizen of the United States, and a resident of such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse thesame.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a reversible carcoupling, that is a device which will couple the cars no matter whichends are run together. This car coupling in common with others aims toobviate the necessity of a person going between the cars to couple themwhen making up a train, thereby lessening the loss of life and injury tolimb resulting from the coupling of cars in the old style of link andpin.

The present invention relates more particularily to that class whichemploys twin or similarly constructed jaws which co-operate with anapproximately arrow shaped bumper to produce the coupling.

The improvement consists, essentially, of twin jaws one jaw of each pairoccupying a different elevation and the corresponding jaws tapering ontheir meeting faces to allow and compensate for the thickness so thatwhen the cars are run together the jaws will glide past each other andoccupy approximately the same space as if the jaws were of the samethickness throughout their length and were rigidly attached at theirends to the cars.

The improvement also consists of stops provided near the inner ends ofthe jaws to engage with the outer ends of the opposing and correspondingjaws to limit the relative inner movement of the jaws to hold the samein about the horizontal plane of one another.

The improvementalso further consists of an uncouplinglever provided withwedge shaped prongs which are adapted to be forced be-, tween theopposing edges of the jaws and bumper, the said prongs having a pivotalconnection with the lever and directed in their movements by suitableguides.

The improvement further consists of the novel features and the peculiarconstruction of the parts which will be hereinafter more fully describedand claimed, and which are shown in the annexed drawings, in whichFigure l is a bottom plan view of the opposing ends of two carsconnected by the improved coupling. Fig. 2 is a front View of thecoupling. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of onehalf of the coupling asprovided on one end of the car. Fig. 4 is a side view of the coupling,the parts being connected.

Similar letters and numerals refer to corresponding parts of the severalviews of the drawings, in which the numeral 1, designates a bumper whichis attached to the car 2 in any well known manner. This bumper isprovided with an approximately arrow shaped head, and is designed toreceive the end thrust of the cars when the latter are run together inmaking up a train. The jaws 2 and 3 are of similar construction and areplaced one on each side of the bumper l, and are pivoted at their innerends so that the outer ends are adapted to swing or move in a horizontalplane. Springs 4 are conveniently disposed to operate on the jaws 2' and'3 to press the same inward against the sides of the bumper 1, whichlatter limits the inner movement thereof and normally holds the jaws inoperative relation.

The free ends of the jaws are constructed to engage with the oppositesides of the arrow shaped bumper on the car to be coupled, and haveprojecting portions 6 which are adapted to extend beneath headed stopsor projections 7 near the inner end of the corresponding op posite jaws.The jaws 2' and 3 taper gradually from the inner to the outer end, andare arranged in an inverse order, that is the aw 2' tapers on its upperface and the jaw 3 on its under face. In arranging the jaws on a car,they will be so placed that the jaw 2' will always occupy the samerelative position with referenceto the end of the car and bumper, andthe jaw 3, will be similarly located. By this arrangement of the jawsthe meeting faces thereof will be correspondingly tapered or inclined,and match when the cars are coupled. The free ends of the jaws beingengaged by the headed stop or projection 7 will be held close againstthe inner end of the overlapping jaw when the coupling is in efficientservice. It will be seen that the jaws are also constructed to embracethe arrow shaped head provided on the car to which the jaws arepivotally attached. Therefore the draft is transferred from the pivotalsupports of the jaws to the bumpers or draw bars 1.

The uncoupling lever B is provided with a pair of wedge shaped prongs d,which work through suitable keepers e, by which they are guided in theirVertical movements. The penetrating or sharpened ends of the prongs bare adapted to enter between the opposing edges of the jaws and thebumper to move the free ends of the jaws outward, and disconnect themfrom the bumper of the car to be released. An outward movement of oneset of jaws through the stops or projections 7 and the end projections 6effects and produces a corresponding outward movement of the oppositeset of jaws, whereby both sets of jaws are simultaneously disengagedfrom the two bumpers on the operation of either one of the uncouplinglevers B.

The foregoing is the preferred form of construction and relativedisposition of the parts. Obviously, slight changes and modificationscan he made in adapting the invention to different styles and makes ofcars without departing from the spirit of the invention, and arecontemplated in the present construction.

Having thus described theinvention, what is claimed as new is 1. In acar coupling, the combination with an approximately arrow shaped bumperof twin jaws adapted to engage with the arrow head of the bumper on thesame car to which the jaws are pivoted and also engage with. thecorresponding arrow shaped head of the bumper on the car to be coupled,substantially as set forth.

2. In a car coupling, the combination withpairs of twin jaws, inverselytapered on their opposing or meeting faces and having projecting endportions, of stops or projections near the inner ends of the jaws toengage with the free ends of the jaws carried by the opposing car,substantially as described for the purpose specified.

3. In a car coupling, the combination with a bumper and twin jaws, of anuncoupling lever provided with wedge shaped prongs which are adapted tobe pressed between the opposing edges of the jaws and bumper,substantially as set forth.

4. In a car coupling, the combination with a bumper and twin jaws of alever, and wedge shaped prongs loosely connected with the said lever andguides to direct the movements of the said prongs in the operation ofthe lever, substantially as set forth.

5. The herein shown and described car coupling comprising a bumperhaving an approximately arrow shaped head, twin jaws pivoted at theirinner ends to the draw bar and having their outer ends constructed toengage with the arrow head of the bumper on the car to which the jawsare connected and also engage with the bumper on the car to be coupled,the upper and lower faces of the jaws being inversely tapered, and thejaws having projecting end portions, springs to normally hold the jawsagainst the sides of the bumper, stops or projections on the beveled orinclined faces of the jaws, an uncoup' ling lever, and wedge shapedprongs having connection with and operating by the said lever,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES PALMER.

l/Vitnesses: I

R. M. HAMPTON, M. BRENNAN.

